# US 2002/0176547 A1 · Usage-based billing for voice over packet communications > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2002/0176547 A1 - Document ID: US20020176547A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 09/865,267 - Filed: 2001-05-25 - Published: 2002-11-28 - Earliest claimed: 2001-05-25 - Assignees: Sprint Communications Company L.P. - Inventors: Bryce A. Jones - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20020176547A1 ## CPC - H04M 15/56: {for VoIP communications} - H04M 15/00: Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication {; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP} - H04M 15/8207: {Time based data metric aspects, e.g. VoIP or circuit switched packet data} - H04M 2215/202: VoIP; Packet switched telephony - H04M 2215/22: Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing - H04M 2215/7813: Time based data, e.g. VoIP or circuit switched packet data - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) ## Abstract A communication system is disclosed that provides usage-based billing for voice communications transmitted over a packet system. The communication system is comprised of a packet billing system that sniffs signaling transmitted between a signaling processor and a communication device, such as a switch or a router. If the packet billing system detects a call setup message in the signaling, then the packet billing system generates a start record. If the packet billing system detects a call complete message in the signaling, then the packet billing system generates an end record. The packet billing system transfers the start record and the end record to a conventional public switched telephone network (PSTN) billing system. The PSTN billing system generates a bill for the call based on the start record and the end record. The communication system advantageously provides usage-based billing for packet-based calls using the conventional PSTN billing system. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of operating a communication system to bill a call transmitted over a packet system wherein the communication system is comprised of a communication device, a signaling processor, a packet billing system, a public switched telephone network billing system, and the packet system, and wherein the communication device is configured to communicate the call over the packet network, the method comprising: in the packet billing system: detecting a call setup message in first signaling transmitted between the signaling processor and the communication device, and generating a start record responsive to detecting the call setup message, detecting a call complete message in second signaling transmitted between the signaling processor and the communication device, and generating an end record responsive to detecting the call complete message, and transferring the start record and the end record; and in the public switched telephone network billing system, receiving the start record and the end record and processing the start record and the end record to generate a bill. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: in the packet billing system, generating a first call detail record for the call transmitted over the packet system based on the start record and the end record, and transferring the first call detail record; and in the public switched telephone network billing system, receiving the first call detail record and processing the first call detail record to generate the bill. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein generating the first call detail record comprises: reading a calling party identification, a called party identification, and first time of day information from the call setup message and entering the calling party identification, the called party identification, and the first time of day information into the first call detail record; and reading the calling party identification, the called party identification, and second time of day information from the call complete message and entering the second time of day information into the first call detail record. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3 wherein generating the first call detail record further comprises: determining a length of time for the call transmitted over the packet system based on the first time of day information and the second time of day information; and entering the length of time into the first call detail record. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 further comprising: in the public switched telephone network billing system, receiving a second call detail record generated by a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)-based system for a call transmitted over a PSTN, and processing the second call detail record to generate the bill; wherein the first call detail record generated by the packet billing system emulates the second call detail record generated by the PSTN-based system. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the communication device comprises a switch. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the communication device comprises a router. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein generating the start record comprises copying the call setup message. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein generating the start record comprises: reading a calling party identification from the call setup message and inserting the calling party identification into the start record; reading a called party identification from the call setup message and inserting the called party identification into the start record; and determining time of day information and inserting the time of day information into the start record. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein generating the end record comprises copying the call complete message. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein generating the end record comprises: reading a calling party identification from the call complete message and inserting the calling party identification into the end record; reading a called party identification from the call complete message and inserting the called party identification into the end record; and determining time of day information and inserting the time of day information into the end record. ### Claim 12 A communication system configured to generate a bill for a call transmitted over a packet system, comprising: a signaling processor; a communication device configured to communicate with the signaling processor and communicate the call over the packet system; a packet billing system configured to detect a call setup message in first signaling transmitted between the signaling processor and the communication device, generate a start record responsive to detecting the call setup message, detect a call complete message in second signaling transmitted between the signaling processor and the communication device, generate an end record responsive to detecting the call complete message, and transfer the start record and the end record; and a public switched telephone network billing system configured to receive the start record and the end record, and process the start record and the end record to generate a bill. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The communication system of claim 12 wherein: the packet billing system is further configured to generate a first call detail record for the call transmitted over the packet system based on the start record and the end record, and transfer the first call detail record; and the public switched telephone network billing system is further configured to receive the first call detail record and process the first call detail record to generate the bill. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The communication system of claim 13 wherein the packet billing system is further configured to: read a calling party identification, a called party identification, and first time of day information from the call setup message and enter the calling party identification, the called party identification, and the first time of day information into the first call detail record; and read the calling party identification, the called party identification, and second time of day information from the call complete message and enter the second time of day information into the first call detail record. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The communication system of claim 14 wherein the packet billing system is further configured to determine a length of time for the call transmitted over the packet system based on the first time of day information and the second time of day information, and enter the length of time into the first call detail record. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The communication system of claim 13 wherein: the public switched telephone network billing system is further configured to receive a second call detail record generated by a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)-based system for a call transmitted over a PSTN, and process the second call detail record to generate the bill; wherein the first call detail record generated by the packet billing system emulates the second call detail record generated by the PSTN-based system. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The communication system of claim 12 wherein the communication device comprises a switch. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The communication system of claim 12 wherein the communication device comprises a router. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The communication system of claim 12 wherein the communication device is configured to copy the call setup message to generate the start record. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The communication system of claim 12 wherein the communication device is configured to: read a calling party identification from the call setup message and insert the calling party identification into the start record; read a called party identification from the call setup message and insert the called party identification into the start record; and determine time of day information and insert the time of day information into the start record. ### Claim 21 (depends on 12) The communication system of claim 12 wherein the communication device is configured to copy the call complete message to generate the end record. ### Claim 22 (depends on 12) The communication system of claim 12 wherein the communication device is configured to: read a calling party identification from the call complete message and insert the calling party identification into the end record; read a called party identification from the call complete message and insert the called party identification into the end record; and determine time of day information and insert the time of day information into the end record. ### Claim 23 A software product for operating a communication system to bill a call transmitted over a packet system, wherein the communication system is comprised of a communication device, a signaling processor, a packet billing system, a public switched telephone network billing system, and the packet system, and wherein the communication device is configured to communicate the call over the packet network, comprising: packet billing system software operational when executed by a processor to direct the processor to detect a call setup message in first signaling transmitted between the communication device and the signaling processor, generate a start record responsive to detecting the call setup message, detect a call complete message in second signaling transmitted between the communication device and the signaling processor, generate an end record responsive to detecting the call complete message, and transfer the start record and the end record to the public switched telephone network billing system to generate a bill; and a software storage medium configured to store the packet billing system software. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The software product of claim 23 wherein the packet billing software is further operational to direct the processor to: generate a call detail record for the call transmitted over the packet system based on the start record and the end record, and transfer the call detail record to the public switched telephone network billing system. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The software product of claim 23 wherein the packet billing software is further operational to direct the processor to: read a calling party identification, a called party identification, and first time of day information from the call setup message and enter the calling party identification, the called party identification, and the first time of day information into the call detail record; and read the calling party identification, the called party identification, and second time of day information from the call complete message and enter the second time of day information into the call detail record. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The software product of claim 25 wherein the packet billing software is further operational to direct the processor to: determine a length of time for the call transmitted over the packet system based on the first time of day information and the second time of day information; and enter the length of time into the call detail record. ### Claim 27 (depends on 23) The software product of claim 23 wherein the packet billing software is further operational to direct the processor to copy the call setup message to generate the start record. ### Claim 28 (depends on 23) The software product of claim 23 wherein the packet billing software is further operational to direct the processor to: read a calling party identification from the call setup message and insert the calling party identification into the start record; read a called party identification from the call setup message and insert the called party identification into the start record; and determine time of day information and insert the time of day information into the start record. ### Claim 29 (depends on 23) The software product of claim 23 wherein the packet billing software is further operational to direct the processor to copy the call complete message to generate the end record. ### Claim 30 (depends on 23) The software product of claim 23 wherein the packet billing software is further operational to direct the processor to: read a calling party identification from the call complete message and insert the calling party identification into the end record; read a called party identification from the call complete message and insert the called party identification into the end record; and determine time of day information and insert the time of day information into the end record.